Hospital Merger Shakes Up MA Healthcare

WORCESTER, MA — A hospital merger is shaking up healthcare in central Massachusetts.

UMass Memorial Health in Worcester has opted to merge its Marlborough Hospital with the system's flagship location. This is after the Massachusetts Public Health Council voted to approve a proposal for the merger, according to UMass Memorial Health.

Marlborough Hospital is small, which means that it has struggled to offer patients a wide range of services, Dennis Renaud, director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Determination of Need Program, told State House News Service.

"Under a single, coordinated clinical team, Marlborough patients will gain greater access to community-based specialty care and specialty consults, cutting-edge technologies, and tertiary services available through the Medical Center – keeping more care local," UMMH shared in a statement.

The merger is expected to be finalized on or around January 1, 2026, according to UMMH.